New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 551’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 551’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; large rounded red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage; and dark green-colored leaves.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 551.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisimp 551’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Impatiens cultivars that flower relatively early with large rounded flowers and attractive flower colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor in July, 1998 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,520, as the female, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharmgta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,093, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisimp 551 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Moncarapacho, Portugal, since March, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fisimp 551’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fisimp 551’ as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.

3. Large rounded red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

4. Dark green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Impatiens are most similar to plants of the female parent, the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red.

4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were red purple in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red were closer to cherry red in color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Danharmgta. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Danharmgta in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger and more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Danharmgta.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were slightly lighter red purple in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Danharmgta.

Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Fisimp 102, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently, differ primarily in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisimp 551’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisimp 551 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, under commercial practice in a greenhouse. Rooted young plants were planted in 17.5-cm containers during the spring and the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were taken during the summer about 17 weeks later. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21 to 24° C. and night temperatures were about 17 to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 551.

Parentage:

Female parent—. Impatiens hawkeri cultivar BFP-467 Cherry Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,520.

Male parent—. Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharmgta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,093.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 9 days at 24° C. Winter: About 10 days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at 24° C. Winter: About 18 days at 21° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching; 159A in color.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading, tall and uniformly mounded plant growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering. Vigorous.

Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about 10 to 11 weeks are required to produce finished flowering plants in 12-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 23.4 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 57.3 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 13. Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146D to lighter than 146D; occasionally overlain with 180C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls. Length: About 14.5 cm. Width: About 4.8 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Smooth, somewhat rugose; glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: Between 137A to 139A. Young foliage, lower surface: 185A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 185B. Venation, upper surface: 47A. Venation, lower surface: 53B. Petiole: Length: About 3.75 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Upper surface: 47B. Lower surface: 53D.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single; large rounded red purple-colored flowers; flat to slightly cupped. Freely and continuously flowering; usually about 6 to 9 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage and typically face parallel to the leaf canopy. Petals not persistent; gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 8 to 9 days on the plant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. Plants begin flowering about 9 to 9.5 weeks after planting.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 53C.

Flower length.—About 7.1 cm.

Flower width.—About 7.1 cm.

Flower depth.—About 1.25 cm.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner petals: About 3.1 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3.4 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4.9 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3.6 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth; satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: More red than 57A. When opening, lower surface: 52A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 57A; towards the base or eye, 74B to 74C, faint; color becoming closer to 74B to 74C towards the base with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 52A.

Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 5.9 cm. Diameter: At apex: About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 3 mm. Aspect: Curved. Color: 53B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible. Angle: About 45° from the lateral branch. Color: 144B; towards the flower, slightly overlain with 48A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers, hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 6.5 mm. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 50A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5.5 mm. Stigma color: 53C. Style color: 53C. Ovary: Five-celled. Ovary color: 187A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 551’, as illustrated and described. 